


Sharper than a serpent's tooth

by sevenall



Category: The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-05-10 18:39:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5596615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sevenall/pseuds/sevenall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are things, Maia knows, that he should be grateful to Setheris for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sharper than a serpent's tooth

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hamsterwoman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hamsterwoman/gifts).



> This work of fiction references child abuse. The author does NOT agree with the views expressed herein, but considers them a thought experiment.

There are things, Maia knows, that he should be grateful to Setheris for.

Most recently, loyalty. Setheris cannot challenge him openly, but there are other ways he could do Maia and even the Emperor harm. So far, he has not.

The coronation and his life. Maia can see, now, how Setheris’ maneuvering saved him. Of course, an assassination of Maia, yet-to-be Emperor, would certainly have included his cousin, so there was an element of self-preservation to it. Still.

For many years, there was the roof over his head, the food and drink that were not poisoned even once and the consideration of not killing him in a drunken rage.

Now and forever, the cold voice whispering at the edge of his mind and how he can assign it to Setheris, whom he hates. If the voice was beloved, he might listen more often and he does not wish to.

FIN


End file.
